[Percutaneous insertion of a left ventricular assist device for cardiogenic shock in a patient with a myocardial...

A 54-year-old man who was admitted due to cardiogenic shock as a result of a large anterior myocardial infarction 3 days previously was about to die, despite reperfusion therapy, application of an intra-aortic balloon pump, mechanical ventilation and maximal medical therapy. After insertion of a percutaneous left ventricular assist device, the patient was haemodynamically stable. After 11 days, the assist device was weaned and was removed. One day later, the patient died due to progressive heart failure. This case shows that a percutaneously inserted left ventricular assist device is effective in patients with severe, refractory cardiogenic shock, and is relatively simple to insert in the heart catheterisation room. However, it is still not clear what the recovery possibilities of the heart are following a large myocardial infraction, which factors may influence this recovery, and what the applicability of such a ventricular assist device might be in bridging the recovery period.